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The New SL Catalog!


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Well... I'll be keeping my copy of the 2010 catalog for sure! LOL!

 

Okay, looking closer at the online catalog, it looks like you can't purchase the Read-Aloud books as a separate package anymore? Sigh... looks like they just lost the order I spent all day planning yesterday. I know we aren't ready to purchase everything now (before April 4th) and if you can't pick and choose what you want to buy anymore... well, I guess I'll have to do it myself elsewhere. :001_huh: Good times!

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Well... I'll be keeping my copy of the 2010 catalog for sure! LOL!

 

Okay, looking closer at the online catalog, it looks like you can't purchase the Read-Aloud books as a separate package anymore? Sigh... looks like they just lost the order I spent all day planning yesterday. I know we aren't ready to purchase everything now (before April 4th) and if you can't pick and choose what you want to buy anymore... well, I guess I'll have to do it myself elsewhere. :001_huh: Good times!

 

 

I just asked Sonlight about the packages on their boards:

You can still order the read alouds as a package. You'll just have to wait for the website to go live.

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Thank you for asking! Whew--that's a relief. :D

 

I was going to post on that also :). You have to keep in mind that not everything will make it into the catalog, that doesn't mean that it is no longer available ;).

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Well... I'll be keeping my copy of the 2010 catalog for sure! LOL!

 

Okay, looking closer at the online catalog, it looks like you can't purchase the Read-Aloud books as a separate package anymore? Sigh... looks like they just lost the order I spent all day planning yesterday. I know we aren't ready to purchase everything now (before April 4th) and if you can't pick and choose what you want to buy anymore... well, I guess I'll have to do it myself elsewhere. :001_huh: Good times!

WHAT???? You can no longer order individual books???

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A catalog is an inexpensive marketing tool. Considering the cost of the Cores, etc. versus the cost of production, a catalog is not a large expense. Most homeschool (and other) companies mail and hand them out freely. I think the change has more to do with layout and adding other content.

 

Does anyone remember when they used to charge for catalogs if you weren't going to order from them? :D It was an honor system. I still have an old catalog with a "compimentary copy" sticker on the cover. :)

 

I would have to disagree with you. Just look at your SL catalog and then compare to other catalogs. They use different quality paper than Rainbow and CBD and full color images. That costs money. Also, SL ships their catalogs overseas upon request even before you order anything. As for the cost of production, you can't just factor in the printing. Someone wrote the schedules. Someone put together the materials and they have also now added activities. Someone has to go back and make the corrections. It is easy to assume that the cost is low until you start taking stock of what is involved. Regardless though, even if they did it so that they are not supporting those that just get the catalog to use as a booklist I still agree with them. I no longer order the catalog and I do not use their booklists. That's just me. If I am not prepared to pay for someone's hard work I don't use it. Keep in mind that I did buy our Core K books from another supplier at the time when SL raised their overseas shipping too much. I still purchased the IG and other materials from SL though and the IG's are not that expensive as someone else pointed out. But that is just my point of view anyway.

 

Disclaimer: I just used Rainbow and CBD as an example. Rainbow and CBD server a different purpose than SL and I have used both and have been very happy with their service. Also Rainbow is my main supplier so I am not trying to say anything derogatory about either one.

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Well, if Sonlight loses a lot of money because they have changed their catalog layout then they will certainly do something to fix it. And knowing how they pay attention to conversations like these, it would probably be to return to something like the old format.

 

I keep all of my old copies from each year, one to mark up and one to hold back as a reference copy.

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The SL website is not user friendly when it comes to looking up individual books.

 

OK, this is what confuses me here. I hear people saying the TOG website is not user friendly or the SL website or whatever. If you (any you) spend the time to figure it out then you see it is not quite as it seems. I honestly don't think SL's website can get any user friendlier than it already is. They have worked really hard on it over the past few years and as for the books all you have to do is click on "Curriculum Packages - Core Packages" up at the top and then click on the Core you want to view on the left. Then you get all the options show up for that Core (with readers, 4 or 5 day etc.). You just click on the package that interests you and then just click on "View the ... (whatever amount the Core has) items included in this package". An image appears with the covers of all the books and then a listing of the books, which you can then click to see the cover larger and read the description, see the price, whatever you are looking for. Personally, I always found the website more helpful, but that's just me.

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Well, if Sonlight loses a lot of money because they have changed their catalog layout then they will certainly do something to fix it. And knowing how they pay attention to conversations like these, it would probably be to return to something like the old format.

 

I keep all of my old copies from each year, one to mark up and one to hold back as a reference copy.

Exactly ! I know for FACT that JUDY at SL reads these posts!

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Donna, I think I saw a B+C core.

 

Thanks! I found it. Not sure how I missed it before. After looking at it further, I do like some of the changes that they have made in the curriculum. I'm really glad to read that they have addressed the many complaints they have had about Core 100, especially that it wasn't considered HS level by alot of users. Also, separating the upper level IGs into two components (one for the student and one for the paren) is a huge improvement. I do wish they had kept the book descriptions in the catalog.

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I love how they used to list even what trimester you would use the book in, for those of us who couldn't buy the package all at once. I briefly looked through the new catalog and it doesn't look like they provide that info anymore. From a business standpoint I understand. But, it makes me less likely to carry the catalog with me everywhere I go for months at a time.

 

:iagree:

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But for a company to do something, purposefully, that's inconvenient for me just so I will be forced to purchase a full core from them - well, I don't appreciate feeling manipulated. It really turns me off to the company.

 

I think you are making quite an assumption. It's hard for me to believe that would be their motivation. SL is great about listening to their customers and making changes to improve their products... and, many of the long-time customers expect the catalog to shake things up every year. I have never purchased a full core from SL but I have made many, many purchases from them. Their customer service is excellent. They are great about helping me to choose the things I want at the time. I have never felt pressured to buy anything other than what I really need and want at the time. I highly recommend calling them if you need/want their assistance.

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Thanks! I found it. Not sure how I missed it before. After looking at it further, I do like some of the changes that they have made in the curriculum. I'm really glad to read that they have addressed the many complaints they have had about Core 100, especially that it wasn't considered HS level by alot of users. Also, separating the upper level IGs into two components (one for the student and one for the paren) is a huge improvement. I do wish they had kept the book descriptions in the catalog.

 

Unfortunately, with Core 100, they replaced below-level books with even easier books. It is a little hard to fathom why they decided to do that since there has been so much concern over whether core 100 was "high school worthy" as it was. It is really rather amazing that they would choose to go that route and only confirms that we will be moving onto to MFW for high school. The argument made by SL was that they are great books that teach lots about history. Unfortunately, I don't care how great they are if they are 3rd grade books. They won't prepare my kids for the more rigorous reading levels they will need to be able to handle in the later high school years as well as for college.

 

Lisa

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I have the paper catalog in hand - it just went into the bath with me. ;)

 

The change of the numbers to letters will confuse me for awhile, but I don't like change.:D Overall, it is a good marketing decision because the cores will lose their association with a particular grade level for new users.

 

Since I have seen this issue raised, I notice that above the listing of the materials/books for the cores is this statement: "For full descriptions go to sonlight.com/core- insert the letter for whichever core you want to look at here". In small print, is also a statement which reads "for descriptions and to purchase individual items, go to *see above*.

 

We are doing Core 4 this year, and I notice no real differences in the book list in the catalog versus the materials we have.

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I'm not a fan, either. I have a paper copy and have only picked it up a couple of times since I got it last weekend. I don't like that there aren't book descriptions, prices, or the little 1,2,3's that tell you when what quarters the books are used. I will be keeping my old one as my guide. I'm also not a fan of the new core names. There are no identifying traits in the names to help you remember which core they go with. Disappointed!

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Unfortunately, with Core 100, they replaced below-level books with even easier books. It is a little hard to fathom why they decided to do that since there has been so much concern over whether core 100 was "high school worthy" as it was. It is really rather amazing that they would choose to go that route and only confirms that we will be moving onto to MFW for high school. The argument made by SL was that they are great books that teach lots about history. Unfortunately, I don't care how great they are if they are 3rd grade books. They won't prepare my kids for the more rigorous reading levels they will need to be able to handle in the later high school years as well as for college.

 

Lisa

 

:iagree: I had similar thoughts.

 

The change of the numbers to letters will confuse me for awhile, but I don't like change.:D Overall, it is a good marketing decision because the cores will lose their association with a particular grade level for new users.

 

Not really when they list them by grade level as a complete package, so K is K, A is 1st, B is 2nd, etc.

Edited by melmichigan
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I'm not a fan, either. I have a paper copy and have only picked it up a couple of times since I got it last weekend. I don't like that there aren't book descriptions, prices, or the little 1,2,3's that tell you when what quarters the books are used. I will be keeping my old one as my guide. I'm also not a fan of the new core names. There are no identifying traits in the names to help you remember which core they go with. Disappointed!

I totally agree!

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I have the paper catalog in hand - it just went into the bath with me. ;)

 

The change of the numbers to letters will confuse me for awhile, but I don't like change.:D Overall, it is a good marketing decision because the cores will lose their association with a particular grade level for new users.

 

Since I have seen this issue raised, I notice that above the listing of the materials/books for the cores is this statement: "For full descriptions go to sonlight.com/core- insert the letter for whichever core you want to look at here". In small print, is also a statement which reads "for descriptions and to purchase individual items, go to *see above*.

 

We are doing Core 4 this year, and I notice no real differences in the book list in the catalog versus the materials we have.

 

Yes, changing the core names to letters will drive me bonkers for some time to come. I still haven't adjusted to the new preschool core names. :tongue_smilie:

 

I think there were very few book changes except for core 100.

 

Lisa

Edited by LisaTheresa
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I just got the hard copy of the catalog. Wow, what a change. First off, I agree that the book descriptions were one of the best parts of the catalog. Now it's as if they are downgrading the books, which is like saying the heart of the program doesn't matter any more. The main thing though that bugs me (in regards to the listings of the books) is the horrid, light color font that is used. It is TINY. Even my glasses aren't helping me read the words very well. And how many testimonials do we need anyway? I never read those; they get very tiresome.

 

I am one of the high school moms that responded to their survey awhile back so the first thing I looked at was how they might have changed those cores. I see they added a parent guide along with a student guide. I applaud them in that, but cannot find a cost in the catalog. What's up with that? No prices for a separate IG. It does look like you can order the guides each separately, but there are no prices. What's a catalog without prices?

 

Specifically, I looked at Core 100. The changes are astounding me. First, the main complaint with this core is the lack of high school materials. Well, they have now deleted some titles and added many new ones. I wrote down each title and checked with Amazon, reading the description and some of the reviews. Most of the new books are for ages 9 - 12, quite a few in the $10-15 range. Also, they took out Red Badge of Courage, a book that actually is for high school level and is a classic. They added Their Eyes Were Watching God, one to cause some controversy, I'm sure. AND it looks like there is only one way to buy the core now and that is with the Hakim books. Also, last year, the cost with History of US was $559.99 and this year, it is now $677.99. My, that's some difference. All of the high school cores have gone up, but I don't see any changes in the books used at all (other than Core 100). Of course, prices go up usually, not down! :)

 

The jury is still out on how much better the IGs will be as we can't see them on their site yet. I'm wondering how the whole IG is set up now. Will we still have to move all the pages around or will each week be inclusive with all the info right there for each book used that week?

 

I am looking forward to seeing what the sample pages look like. But I still don't like Core 100 with their choice of staying with books for a younger audience. I had hoped for better changes there. :glare:

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OK, this is what confuses me here. I hear people saying the TOG website is not user friendly or the SL website or whatever. If you (any you) spend the time to figure it out then you see it is not quite as it seems. I honestly don't think SL's website can get any user friendlier than it already is. They have worked really hard on it over the past few years and as for the books all you have to do is click on "Curriculum Packages - Core Packages" up at the top and then click on the Core you want to view on the left. Then you get all the options show up for that Core (with readers, 4 or 5 day etc.). You just click on the package that interests you and then just click on "View the ... (whatever amount the Core has) items included in this package". An image appears with the covers of all the books and then a listing of the books, which you can then click to see the cover larger and read the description, see the price, whatever you are looking for. Personally, I always found the website more helpful, but that's just me.

 

You are right. It is easy to get to the page with Individual Core items listed. But you have to choose a book, read about the book, go back to the list, choose another book, read about it, go back to the list, so on and so forth. It gets tedious, though I suppose it would make for a very long page if they included the descriptions. Maybe I'm just too lazy for my own good. :D

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You are right. It is easy to get to the page with Individual Core items listed. But you have to choose a book, read about the book, go back to the list, choose another book, read about it, go back to the list, so on and so forth. It gets tedious, though I suppose it would make for a very long page if they included the descriptions. Maybe I'm just too lazy for my own good. :D

 

Nah... I'm just too much of a technology geek I guess :lol:. I open tabs within the same window. I could have up to 20 tabs going at once when I am checking out books. I do the same when I am reading threads here :tongue_smilie:.

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Nah... I'm just too much of a technology geek I guess :lol:. I open tabs within the same window. I could have up to 20 tabs going at once when I am checking out books. I do the same when I am reading threads here :tongue_smilie:.

 

Ha! I am not the only one! I often have two windows open with around 10 tabs in each. DH can't stand it. :lol:

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Ha! I am not the only one! I often have two windows open with around 10 tabs in each. DH can't stand it. :lol:

 

:lol: My hubby hates when I do that too :lol:!

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Unfortunately, with Core 100, they replaced below-level books with even easier books. It is a little hard to fathom why they decided to do that since there has been so much concern over whether core 100 was "high school worthy" as it was. It is really rather amazing that they would choose to go that route and only confirms that we will be moving onto to MFW for high school. The argument made by SL was that they are great books that teach lots about history. Unfortunately, I don't care how great they are if they are 3rd grade books. They won't prepare my kids for the more rigorous reading levels they will need to be able to handle in the later high school years as well as for college.

 

Lisa

 

Lisa, I found the list of books, and I am not familiar with any of the new titles. How do you know the level of the books? I was really excited to read that they had made Core 100 HS "worthy"!! There were many suggestions from long-time customers on the SL boards last fall asking that they do that, including separating the student's and teacher's materials.

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Lisa, I found the list of books, and I am not familiar with any of the new titles. How do you know the level of the books? I was really excited to read that they had made Core 100 HS "worthy"!! There were many suggestions from long-time customers on the SL boards last fall asking that they do that, including separating the student's and teacher's materials.

 

Not Lisa, but the titles and levels of the books are being discussed at length on the SL forums and other boards as well.

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Not Lisa, but the titles and levels of the books are being discussed at length on the SL forums and other boards as well.

 

What "other boards" are you referring to? I didn't see a discussion on the SL board, but I will look for it again. Thanks for the info.!

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Lisa, I found the list of books, and I am not familiar with any of the new titles. How do you know the level of the books? I was really excited to read that they had made Core 100 HS "worthy"!! There were many suggestions from long-time customers on the SL boards last fall asking that they do that, including separating the student's and teacher's materials.

 

Donna -

 

I am just going by what the other moms on the SL boards are saying about the level of the books. A number of them have looked them up on either Amazon or elsewhere to see what the reading level is. The comment was made that some of the books that were already a low reading level were removed and replaced with even lower reading level books and that some of the books that were an appropriate level for high school were removed and replaced with lower level books. I plan to go to lexile.com at some point and see which ones I can find the lexile level for and compare the new core to the old.

 

I do know that SL has come back and said that there are 4 AP books being used in the core and that they felt that was enough heavy reading. I really do like the book selections in the original Core 100 for my daughter in 7th grade, but I just don't know about using it for my son, who will be in 9th by the time we reach that core. I wish there was some way I could move through the next few cores more quickly so I could use it when my son was in 8th grade, but then I worry about it being too challenging for my daughter in 6th.

 

Lisa

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Unfortunately, with Core 100, they replaced below-level books with even easier books. It is a little hard to fathom why they decided to do that since there has been so much concern over whether core 100 was "high school worthy" as it was. It is really rather amazing that they would choose to go that route and only confirms that we will be moving onto to MFW for high school. The argument made by SL was that they are great books that teach lots about history. Unfortunately, I don't care how great they are if they are 3rd grade books. They won't prepare my kids for the more rigorous reading levels they will need to be able to handle in the later high school years as well as for college.

 

Lisa

 

Thanks for pointing this out Lisa!

I jetted on over there to see the books, and they have several books in that core that we've already read or are currently reading! That's disappointing. Hopefully, they'll fix it before we get to that Core.

 

Also, did anyone else note that you can get the 2010 catalog pricing NOW, but on April 4th, you'll pay the new, increased prices.

Just FYI.

Dorinda

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Also, did anyone else note that you can get the 2010 catalog pricing NOW, but on April 4th, you'll pay the new, increased prices.

Just FYI.

Dorinda

 

Yep, that's always the case every year. It is not necessarily 2010 catalog pricing though. SL guarantees they will maintain their catalog prices until August I think? After that they sometimes change the prices based on the market fluctuations. Sometimes the prices go up other times they can go slightly down. After April 4th the new catalog prices kick in, again until the given time in the summer where SL reserves the right to adjust the prices again. This is information I have read on the SL forums in the Dear Sonlight forums specifically.

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OK, I just checked my old 2008-2009 catalog (I have just saved this one because it has the Cores with the books that we bought :)) and in the Policies and Procedures pages at the back of the catalog under Service Guarantees it says that they guarantee prices until July 15th. You can see specific details in that section of the catalog.

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Donna -

I do know that SL has come back and said that there are 4 AP books being used in the core and that they felt that was enough heavy reading.

 

I wish they would come back and link this because I can only find two, not that you necessarily need AP books to make it high school. The current Core 100 line up is working fine along with TOG D for my DD11's middle school rotation.

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I wish they would come back and link this because I can only find two, not that you necessarily need AP books to make it high school. The current Core 100 line up is working fine along with TOG D for my DD11's middle school rotation.

 

Melissa, I was in the Dear Sonlight forum yesterday and stumbled on a post that was quoting Amy (Amy I think has posted this in the Core 100 forum but I didn't bother going in since it does not affect me ;)). Anyway, from what I can recall, Amy said that a couple of the books probably did not make it into the catalog. She mentioned them so you may want to find that post. If you have a hard time finding it let me know and I will try to track it down and PM you the link.

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Yep, that's always the case every year. It is not necessarily 2010 catalog pricing though. SL guarantees they will maintain their catalog prices until August I think? After that they sometimes change the prices based on the market fluctuations. Sometimes the prices go up other times they can go slightly down. After April 4th the new catalog prices kick in, again until the given time in the summer where SL reserves the right to adjust the prices again. This is information I have read on the SL forums in the Dear Sonlight forums specifically.

 

Right, that's how it's been in years past. However, on their forums they say specifically the new catalog pricing takes effect April 4th.

 

ETA:

I posted a link and then I wasn't sure I'm allowed to do that. If you go to their "Choosing Forum" there's a thread where someone from Sonlight states, "Our new catalog pricing becomes effective on April 4th."

 

HTH!

Dorinda

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Right, that's how it's been in years past. However, on their forums they say specifically the new catalog pricing takes effect April 4th.

 

ETA:

I posted a link and then I wasn't sure I'm allowed to do that. If you go to their "Choosing Forum" there's a thread where someone from Sonlight states, "Our new catalog pricing becomes effective on April 4th."

 

HTH!

Dorinda

 

Dorinda, we are saying the same thing :). I am not disputing the April 4th date. All I was clarifying is that the current prices are not necessarily the 2010 catalog prices ;).

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I wish they would come back and link this because I can only find two, not that you necessarily need AP books to make it high school. The current Core 100 line up is working fine along with TOG D for my DD11's middle school rotation.

 

Yes, I find the current Core 100 books very appealing for middle school and will definitely use it for my daughter since she'll hit that core in 7th grade. I think if you added TOG to it, then, no question, it would be great for high school. I'm just unsure if I will want to use it with my son in 9th grade (because I will not be adding TOG :001_smile:).

 

On the one hand, I'd love to do one last year of American History with my kids together before splitting them up. On the other hand, MFW looks like it would be an awfully good fit for my son and there don't seem to be the questions raised about it that I hear with this core. We'll see. I've got a few years before I have to decide.

 

Lisa

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